It has been known in the field of tufting carpets to form carpets with a variety of different pattern effects. For example, it has been known to tuft cut and loop pile tufts of yarns in the same carpet patterns, including formation of cut pile and loop pile tufts in the same longitudinal tuft rows, and to control yarn feed mechanisms of tufting machines, including roll, scroll, and single-end type yarn feed attachments, to form various high/low tufted pattern effects. As decorating styles and customer preferences change, such changes bring demands for new patterns and new looks to carpets and other tufted fabrics. This includes demands for improved and sharper, more precise designs in known type/style carpets.
For example, “perma-stitch” style carpets, in which the carpets are tufted with a series of loop pile tufts arranged in a chain-stitch configuration or pattern, previously have been developed, such as disclosed and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,286. One problem with forming such perma-stitch or chained loop pile carpets has been maintaining consistency in the chain-stitch formation, especially as tufting machine speeds have increased. If a loop or link in the chain of stitches is missed, it can create a significant pattern defect. As a result, such chain-stitch or perma-stitch fabrics traditionally have been run at lower tufting machine speeds than conventional cut or loop patterns so that such consistency of formation of the stitches in the chain can be accurately monitored. Additionally, conventional chain-stitch forming systems also generally require specially designed loopers which, due to the tufting operations for forming chain-stitch tufted patterns, can be subjected to increased wear, especially at faster machine speeds.
Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a system and method for forming chain-stitch tufted articles that address the foregoing and other related and unrelated problems in the art.